"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..."
this is not news but: Alan Rickman is a master.
[7.9/10] John McClane and Hans Gruber joke a lot about the idea of John as a cowboy. They name drop the likes of John Wayne. McClane drops his famous “yippee-ki-yay motherfucker.” He even adopts the name “Roy” as his nom de guerre, as a wry tribute to Roy Rogers. And it’s not hard to see why. Despite the fact that he’s a beat cop in a corporate tower, he’s a gunslinger and lone vigilante, much in the vein of the “me against the world” heroes who prowled Hollywood’s version of the old west. It’s an appropriate guise for John to slip into, however far he may be in time and backdrop from the cattlemen of old.
But the cowboy boot also fits because of the cultural fixture of cowboys as emblems for the American idea of rugged individualism. They are rough-hewn, hardy champions of the wilderness, existing apart from the niceties of civilization, surviving on the backs of their own grit and determination, without the comforts or the numbers their moneyed and malevolent counterparts do.
While Die Hard trades dusty plains for downtown Los Angeles, and Gene Autry for Run DMC, it trafficks in much the same spirit. It’s sympathetic to John McClane, a beat cop who has to rely on his pluck and his resourcefulness to outwit and outgrit his crafty and well-outfitted enemies. It’s sympathetic to Al Powell, an LAPD desk sergeant who knows from instinct who to trust and who not to. It’s sympathetic to the low-to-the-ground guys who don’t go by the book and exist apart from the softness of luxury or the cluelessness of authority.
And it’s unsympathetic to just about everyone and everything else. Die Hard is a movie of contrasts, there to paint our hero as a man apart. The script, from Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza, immediately paints John McClane as a hardscrabble New York cop who feels uncomfortable and out of place in the world of limousines, boardrooms, and corporate parties that his wife has chosen in Los Angeles. He is a rough-and-tumble dude, who mouths off like a real Noo Yawker and gets gradually filthier as the film progresses, juxtaposed with the well-groomed, suited-up Hans Gruber who utters his orders in a genteel foreign accent.
While the bad guys, his wife’s employers, and his hapless would-be allies all use fancy technology, specialized vehicles, and souped up hardware, John uses whatever’s around and available--whether it’s a sling, a firehose, a ream of packing tape, or even a dead body--to do his dirty work. And while Gruber, the LAPD, and the FBI all deploy elaborate plans so precise and predictable that they all lead to ruin, John wins the day by muddling through and improvising as a “fly in the ointment.”
John is different. That's the point Die Hard makes over and over again in ways both deft and over-the-top. Those differences are why we sympathize with him, why we root for him, why we invest in the story of one unexpected vigilante standing against a host of institutions--corporate hacks, foreign benefactors, mercenary media, hidebound police leadership, smug feds--who are brought down by a decent, regular guy who stands apart and just so happens to be free of their corrupting influences.
In truth, I don’t love it as a theme. There’s a blind adoration of individualism in the bones of Die Hard that seems appropriate for its 1980s time period and also painfully myopic. Throw in the arc of John’s erstwhile partner Al, which can be roughly (and, admittedly, uncharitably) summed up as, “I lost my nerve after shooting a kid, but now I got my shootin’ groove back!”, and you have a film that plays a little uncomfortable to modern eyes, given the way we’ve seen that sort of championing of instinct and the individual over evidence and community-driven solutions that the film implicitly endorses perverted in the decades since Die Hard made the scene.
And yet, I love the fact that Die Hard has something on its mind. Despite the ubiquity and shallowness of how “Die Hard on a _____” practically became its own subgenre in the wake of this film’s success, Die Hard is not an empty action movie. It has something to say, about the little guy taking on multiple goliaths, about the fecklessness of authority figures, about what’s real and what’s phony, about what makes a relationship work, and it uses them all to drive the story and the characters.
Because both absolutely make the movie. You can understand why this was a star-making role for Bruce Willis. His wise-cracking, sharp-eyed, sometimes sad sack persona makes you believe this determined schmuck could take down twelve terrorists with guns and bombs, and makes you like him in the process. Villain Hans Gruber is underdeveloped, but elevated by a crisp performance from the inimitable Alan Rickman, who fills in the gaps with velvet-tongued panache and a certain shitheel charm. And the most underrated part of the film is Reginald VelJohnson as Al, who provides the heart of the picture and delivers material that is comedic, cheesy, or achingly sincere to perfection every time.
In truth, the rest of the film is mostly populated by cartoon characters. Gruber’s goons--including his dragon, Karl--are all pretty interchangeable beyond a chipper hacker and a sly lookout, and even they’re over-the-top. Corporate shill Ellis is the eightiesest eighties guy to ever eighties. Every other member of law enforcement is a wrong-headed, power-hungry, over-the-top stereotype of police authority figures, especially Paul Gleason’s deputy chief. A scruple-free T.V. reporter uses every dirty trick in the book. And although he’s painted with a heart of gold and gets a moment of triumph at the end of the film, Argyle the limo driver is a goofy, outsized figure as well. Likewise, there’s some artifacts of the eighties here. For a movie devoted to the greater “realness” and down-to-earth qualities of John McClane, Die Hard gives him no shortage of dry cool action one-liners, a pathology that affects most of the characters.
But they’re contrasted with the lived-in humanity in some crucial scenes. John’s estranged wife Holly is underwritten, but Bonnie Bedelia imbues her with some steel. More to the point, their conversation during their Xmastime reunion, full of both barely restrained longing and unresolved frustration, plays as true to couples who love one another but face obstacles in difference in what they want. In the same vein, the film’s secret weapon is the conversations between John and Al, two beat cops who understand one another on an intuitive level, with a joking but intimate connection between them that helps to humanize both characters and use that mutual sounding board to add back in some humanity and emotion during the film’s larger than life events.
The funny thing is, the film’s big showpiece sequences are, in some ways, the least interesting parts of the film. Maybe I’m simply inured to big screen spectacle after decades and decades of Die Hard’s successors blowing up bigger and bigger things, but the various missile attacks, bomb drops, and explosions do little to move the needle to modern eyes. Likewise, the fight choreography and the way director John McTiernan and company shoot the combat is fairly indifferent, with plenty of quick cuts and rapidly-shifting geography.
But where the film shines in the action department is its ability to create tension. John hanging from a gun sling and reaching for an exit while the baddies stalk him is stressful; him skulking through the air vents while a vengeful goon prods them with his automatic rifle makes your hair stand up; John swinging from a firehose to escape and explosion and untangling himself before it drags him to his doom is suspenseful as all hell. The composition and editing do well at making you fear the worst and get that sigh of relief when John wriggles out of some predicament yet again.
McTiernan & Co. also preserve the humanity in those bigger moments by focusing on the faces of the key figures. We famously see the strain on John’s face when he uses a lighter to illuminate his way inside the air vent. We see Holly’s realization that it’s her husband who’s saving the day and causing all this ruckus wash over her face. We see Al’s steely visage come into focus from behind his revolver when he takes down Karl in the film’s grace note. And most iconically, we see Gruber’s steady realization of his loss and impending demise as he plummets to his doom. The response and reactions are firmly present here, and help the film’s characters pop.
So does a surprisingly tight script. There’s scads of little setups and payoffs in the film. John’s airplane seatmate gives him the advice for adjusting to a new environment that accounts for why McClane spends most of the movie running around barefoot. The script establishes the meaning of Holly’s fancy new watch she gets from her job in the early going, which accounts for the symbolism in the climax when John unclasps it to defeat Gruber. And most famously, John’s stray gaze at some tape sets up his gun on his back that lets him get the drop on his adversary.
For as shaggy and bombastic as Die Hard can be in places, those kinds of choices make for an unexpectedly clockwork film. Nearly everyone and everything here has a purpose. Holly’s coworker, Ellis, is a buffoon, but it’s his buffoonery that exposes John’s identity to Gruber and gives Hans another angle on his gun-toting irritant. The news reporter seems like a soapboxing waste of time as a secondary antagonist of sorts, but it’s his careless need to get the story regardless of who might get hurt that exposes the connection between John and Holly to Hans. Hell, even silly Argyle, who’s largely comic relief, plays a role in stopping Gruber’s crew from escaping. Every stray part feeds back into the main plot eventually, which is some deft writing.
The same goes for the clever scenarios and predicaments at play. One of the film’s best conceits is the fact that John, the cops, and the bad guys, all have to communicate on the same C.B. radio channel. It’s good fodder for all the characters to play coy, taunt one another, confide in one another, manipulate one another, say whatever they can without fully saying it, which adds layers to both the dialogue and the film’s cat and mouse game. Likewise, Hans’ ploy to use terrorism as a smokescreen for simple theft turns the audience’s expectations on their ear, and allows for more reveals and ticking clocks as he toys with the authorities and buys time for his real plan.
That's the other big boon of this movie: the cops may be idiots, but Gruber is a legitimately crafty and formidable opponent for John. He’s no pushover or sap. His sharpness in using the textbook FBI response to get into the vault containing the bearer bonds is masterful. His effort to con John into thinking he’s just another hostage, rather than the mastermind, makes for a great dynamic between the two of them and a good excuse to put the duo in the same room in the second act. And while his goons fly off the handle, Gruber is steady and strategic enough to seem like a worthy adversary for McClane in their skyscraper, hostage-filled chess game. The cleverness and intelligence of Hans Gruber, his ability to make smart choices in the moment and seem in control even when things aren’t going to plan, is what makes McClane’s victory over him so satisfying.
Well, that's half of it at least. The other half is something simple but powerful: John McClane is vulnerable and beatable for most of the film. He limps and bleeds and winces as he gets gradually worn down in the fight. He frequently seems overwhelmed and incredulous at his own actions, having to use self-talk to convince him to get through his next daring or foolhardy feat. Despite his heroics, McClane is never the stone cold badass whose victory seems assured. He’s a fallible, ordinary guy caught in an extraordinary situation, as fretful and fallible as anyone would be in such a perilous situation.
John is the action genre’s ultimate everyman, in the way he has to scramble to improvise his way out of some dangerous bind, in the way he’s exasperated by the cops’ response or incredulous at the insanity of his own choices, in the way that, in what he thinks could be his final moments, he wants his wife to know that he’s sorry and should have supported her. Yes, McClane is a lone vigilante in the vein of so many others in cinema, but he has feet of clay in the way that few of those other iconic figures do.
Apart from the broader perniciousness of the perspective behind the film, I love how McTiernan and his team use those ideas to make us root for John. The truth is that John McClane doesn’t represent true heroism in the real world anymore than John Wayne’s misadventures represented the harsher edged reality of the true wild west. But if you can accept them as simply stories, pieces of entertainment meant to make us grip our armrests and cheer for the bad guys’ demise, it’s still fun as hell to see the cowboy saddle up and win the day.
The attraction, and the danger, of the cowboy archetype is that there’s something almost inherently compelling about the lone figure standing against the whole world, doing things the right way, the regular joe’s way, his way. We love to see the man of the plains, or the parts of the concrete jungle that came to represent “realness” in the modern popular consciousness, beat back the better-fueled and better-funded baddies with little more than guts and determination. I don’t love the championing of that idea in real life, but it always made for a hell of a western; and it still makes for a hell of an action movie.
"Die Hard" is a terrific example of what happens when all the pieces of a film fall together perfectly. There simply are no weak spots or dull moments in the film. Is "Die Hard" one of the best overall movies ever made? Probably not. But it's undeniably one of the best action movies ever made.
I love this movie but one thing always bothers me.
At the beginning when Bruce Willis gets to the building. He says “I’m here to see holly mcclane.” The guard replies, “Just type it into the kiosk.” He does and it says she’s on the 30th floor. The guard then says, “The party, their the only ones left in the building.”
Well jackass, if they’re the only ones left in the building, why did you have him type it into the kiosk!
Ho - Ho - Ho ; I just love Alan Rickman in this! Merry Christmas 2021 !
Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Definitely!
Is it the best Christmas movie? The best non-traditional Christmas movie.
It isn't Christmas until I see the Hans drop.
A yearly must watch. Nothing else puts me in the the Christmas spirit quite like Die Hard.
There’s a reason why this has been ripped off by a dozen other films. The plot is so well constructed that it gets away with being as relatively serious as it is, despite coming out during a time where being as cheesy and over the top as possible seemed to be the name in the game. The characters and dialogue are absolutely iconic. They took a major risk by making McClane this everyday man, because 'regular' people can easily be cinematically boring, but he really pops because of the personality that’s given to him by Willis and the script. Rickman plays one of the best bad guys ever, so many quotables coming out of his mouth. Filmmaking’s terrific, love the use of wide shots and McTiernan’s faith in visual storytelling, a surprising amount of information in this film is communicated without dialogue. The main selling point are of course the action scenes, which are visceral, tense and bloody. You know, it’s the kind of action that gets an emotion out of you, which I appreciate because that barely happens now with action films generally being so tame. There’s some very minor stuff that hasn’t aged well (the portrayal of Argyle the driver feels a bit dated; some sets and props are clearly sets and props), but it’s nothing that’s inexcusable for an 80s production, or anything that takes me out of the experience. Maybe it deserved a better score as well, it’s not bad but at times it feels like you’re listening to John Williams Star Wars leftovers, which is not the vibe the rest of the film is going for. Overall, it’s one of the best action films ever made, but I will always prefer the other McTiernan classic over this one.
8.5/10
THIS IS A CHRISTMAS MOVIE. I queue this bad-boy up every Christmas season along with the other standard fare, but it's a Christmas movie. It is also the godfather to all action movies since, equaled by only a few.
That is all.
"You wanna know the secret to surviving air travel? After you get where you're going, take off your shoes and your socks then walk around on the rug bare foot and make fists with your toes."
I still don't know if that really works.
"Son of a bitch! Fist with your toes."
According to John McClane it does!
Anyway, Die Hard will always be fun to watch. So many little moments, Alan Rickman, Bruce Willis at his best, fist with your toes, bare feet, amazing quotes and it is one of the best Christmas movies!
Ho, ho, .....ho.
Happy Holidays!
"Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho."
Christmas is a time for love, peace, forgiveness, and sharing. It's also the time when a man in a white vest guns down terrorists at the Nakatomi Plaza, with no shoes on.
Die Hard is one of the best Christmas movies ever made.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Still one of the best action movies ever. Straight forward, no nonsense. Yes there are some quirks but in general Die Hard raised the bar a lot higher and defined the genre anew.
Even better in 4k.
Bruce Willis and his shirt shine in a skyscraper
A great Christmas Movie. Well written, well played. A near perfect movie as per me
Its not Christmas until Hans falls off the Nakatomi tower
Top notch 80’s action.
"Welcome to the party, pal."
First of all, it is a Christmas movie. Ok, that is out of the way. I wouldn't change anything in this movie. The storytelling, the music, the villains, the complaints about California through the eyes of a NYC cop, the camera work, the cast.. I love it all. This movie has been dissected by many of why it works, and all I can say is that it's a must watch.
This is one of the best action movies. Rewatched in 2020 with my kids and it’s still awesome and, on top, new generations also love it.
Christmas Eve 1988. Nakatomi Plaza - Never forget!
10 - Totally Ninja!
What a Christmas movie this is, such a classic. The bad guys are great, the good guys are great and even the (usually less outstanding) romantic plot isn't completely terrible. If you haven't seen it, go do that right now.
One of my fav's! Solid Bruce Willis movie. Lo e the whole Diehard Trilogy!
This is my go-to joke-answer when people ask me what my favourite Christmas film is (the truth is I don’t have a favourite anything), but what always catches me out is just how Christmassy Die Hard really is. From end to end, in his own way, McTiernan captures the spirit of Christmas nicely without making a saccharine or overbearing film.
Bruce Willis is just a regular guy trying to get home to see his kids, and patch up his failing marriage. What says ‘Christmas’ more than family? Alan Rickman is the Grinch that tries to get in the way of his plans. I don’t know who Santa is in this analogy; maybe the limo driver. The cop on the outside is Joseph and the film itself is baby Jesus.
In all seriousness though, something about Die Hard clicks with me every time. The regular-guy-having-a-bad-day idea borrows from the better Hitchcock films, and the way it melds with the action scenes is so fun to watch. Willis clearly enjoys playing a bad-ass. His cocky charm is infectious, as is his determination.
It’s not easy to take a simple idea and execute it well, but Die Hard shows that with carefully orchestrated action scenes and slick screen writing one can achieve greatness without having to stray from a central story. Makes a very difficult job look easy.
http://benoliver999.com/film/2015/12/19/diehard/
Christmas ritual. From the golden era of action movies.
“Yippee-ki-yay, motherf***er!” The epitome of ‘80s action films, Die Hard is a smart, adrenaline-packed film that became the measuring stick for all others action films for the next decade. When terrorists seize Nakatomi Plaza and takes hostages, off duty police officer John McClane finds himself cutoff and trapped inside the building, and has to find a way to foil the terrorists plot in order to save his wife. Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman both give excellent performances; and their characters (John McClane and Hans Gruber) continue to top the lists of best movie heroes and villains. Additionally, director John McTiernan does a great job at building suspense and tension, and delivers some amazing (and iconic) action sequences. Die Hard is a landmark film that is a definite must see.
The Five Faces of DIE HARD
:heart_eyes:
There's no snow, Christmas trees or Santa, but Die Hard is the ultimate holiday Christmas action film classic.
Alan Rickman gives one of his greatest performances as the villainous and brutal Hans Gruber. It's a joy to watch him every time he's on screen.
Everything starts out slow and Christmas-sy, but there's always a sense of danger in the air. When the thrill ride starts it goes on until the end credits.
Bruce Willis is immediately iconic in his most famous role as the heroic, fearless and ruthless NYC cop John McClane. It's not a very deep performance, but suits Willis perfectly.
The entire team of baddies is unusually well-prepared and smart. The operation is expertly handled, which makes it even more amazing that one man can bring it all down.
The German henchmen are clumsy and stiff gorillas, but they make for formidable foes.
It's amazing how the film manages to keep the suspense high, whether it's baddies chasing John down corridors or Gruber giving orders to his henchmen.
Immensely quotable dialogue and several well-written action sequences, twists and turns make this one of the best written action films ever.
A majestic film score keeps up the suspense and perfectly captures the sense of danger.
A big part of the joy of watching this movie comes from hearing John furiously converse with other people via walkie-talkies.
You truly feel the anguish and suffering John goes through while trying to survive and stop the terrorists.
The ending is classic and one of the best in the genre.
The plot is simple, yet pulls the viewer in in an instant. It makes perfect sense and feels realistic. The quieter moments of touching contemplation are brilliant.
One huge tower is an amazing setting for an action film, since it's so contained and claustrophobic.
:smiley:
It's a clash between the powers of good and evil - two ruthless men against each other, both smart enough to be able to win.
There isn't a particularly huge female presence in this film, so luckily Bonnie Bedelia does a good job at keeping the flag high.
The supporting cast does s great job, but special nods should be given to Clarence Gilyard Jr. and Reginald VelJohnson. Both performances are delicious!
Die Hard is one of those films in which you don't know whether the good or the bad guys will win until the very end. It keeps you on the edge of the seat until the end credits.
:neutral_face:
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The Final Face: :heart_eyes: // Fantastic
Gotta love Die Hard. Best christmas movie of all time. Great hero, good villain, great action. John McClane is one of the all time greatest charcters in cinema.
Not only one of the best Christmas movies and a staple of the holidays, but for my money this could be the greatest action movie ever made. Bruce Willis has endless charisma and his interplay with the bad guys and cops outside is charming as hell.
This movie immediately became the genre template for action films from 1988 onwards. Still unsurpassed in terms of cinematography, directing and casting. Essentially created the lens flare aesthetic that unfortunately hampers many current cgi movies. This is how to do it right - in camera and for storytelling and mood creating reasons. A genuine Christmas treat!
Finally got Dean Winchester's reference to this.
best movie ever. so enjoyable and never bores me such a good concept
Brilliant movie. Watched it every Christmas since it came out on VHS in 1990.
John McClane is brilliantly portrayed by Bruce Willis but the turn by Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber is just spellbinding.... "I must have missed 60 minutes". What a character and what an actor.
The other character that makes this film so rewatch able is Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson... Hilarious. Deserved an award for his few minutes of screen time.
It's a perfect movie. A great cast all knocking it out of the park. A simple enough plot but one that is carried off with style and perfect pacing.
It's from 1988 yet it plays just as well after 30 rewatches and 3 decades past.
10/10
One of the best action movies, simple plot executed to perfection
Best Christmas Movie Ever! It's a classic for a reason
One of the greatest action movies I've seen, if not the best. Everything works as it should. The action scenes, the acting, the lines of the characters. The jokes working great either. Awesome, truly awesome.
"Welcome to the party pal"
Absolutely the best action film ever made.
Even today, 27 years later, this is still a great movie! The only thing that's "bad" about this flick is that mobile phones were invented in the meantime so the whole "We cut the phone lines so nobody can reach you" doesn't work nowadays. But otherwise a very good action movie!
Die Hard was fun. Professor Snape's plan was just dumb though, terrorism is a far more serious crime than robbery, encouraging a far more serious response by law enforcement. It's not like there wouldn't have been a shortage of places you could potentially rob with a similar or greater pay-off without resorting to that. There's also so many incompetent people in the movie, not just the cops either. VHS in a limo, what a luxury.
This defines the modern action film, its crazy when you read about how many actors were offered this role, and the different variations this could have had, the outcome is perfect!
Stands the test of time, and a perfect Christmas movie, sit back and enjoy the ride!
If it was released now they'd call it woke.
Everyone I watch it, it still engages me. The visuals in several scenes are becoming dated, but the pacing and structure of the film still holds up.
Action, suspense, romance, comedy, that cozy winters vibe. This movie has everything.
–"This channel is reserved for emergency calls only."
–"No fuckin' shit, lady. Do I sound like i'm orderin' a pizza?"
I watched this about a year ago and thought it was ok but wasn't impressed... I drank the Kool-Aid this time around because it was such a blast! Now it's one of my all time favorite action movies. A classic for a reason and it's totally a Christmas movie.
Bruce Willis as John McClane is such a relatable, hilarious and badass character. Reginald VelJohnson as Al Powell is the perfect sidekick, the two have such a great chemistry and yet they don't meet face to face. The scene where Powell is going backwards with his car was the most hilarious for me. Alan Rickman steals the spotlight whenever he's on-screen, such a layered villain. His acolytes are quite memorable too. The scene where McClane and Hans Gruber meet for the first time is one of my favorites.
The dialogue is smart and hilarious when it needs to be, it's honestly the most funny one-liners i've heard in a single movie. Nice score, excellent pacing and the action is effective. The only criticism I have is the runtime, it's overlong and because it's so long it gives the impression like there wasn't enough action but there's a ton of action scenes.
"Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!"
Probably the best Christmas action movie
Best Christmas movie. Instant classic for the whole family!
"Yippie Kayak Other Buckets"
Seriously, anyone who thinks it’s cheesy needs to remember that this is the original!
john mcclane be walking around the nakatomi plaza barefoot like it’s a fucking quentin tarantino fantasy
Theme- 9.5/10
Rewatchibility- 9/10
Acting- 9.5/10
Kinematography- 10/10
Time- 9.5/10
Total - 47.5/5 = 9.5
Die Hard is a classic action movie that's known for its intense action scenes and explosions. While the film takes place during the holiday season, it's worth noting that it has nothing to do with Christmas other than the fact that it's set during that time. The film's non-stop action and suspense keep you on the edge of your seat, while its memorable one-liners and iconic scenes have made it a cultural phenomenon.
A very interesting action movie, I can totally feel the 80-90s vibes all over the place, the villains being European instead of Arabic or Russian is something refreshing, the level of action is pretty high after what I felt was a slow beginning, but I really enjoyed how everything happened after the slow part, had some interesting twists, is like seeing an 80s John Wick! And btw, I hated the police and FBI the movie made them look dumb even the news people exposing the child like that!? Wtf man!
Is it a Christmas movie? Hell yea it is! And a damn good one at that! Possibly the best and most iconic Bruce Willis movie around and one that is easily recommendable, especially to anyone that likes action films.
Rating: 3.5/5 - 8/10 - Would Recommend
Underrated part is when the elevator dings for floor arrival and then an explosion happens
Very traditional action film from the era. Quite well written to keep the pace constant, in between calm sections and plot twists.
The film that set the standard for action films for the following decade, and one that has everything needed for a fantastic action film. A main character with humanity who you can relate to and one that feels vulnerable, an excellent villain, and some great action scenes. Add in a lot of humor and you get an excellent action film.
Jake Peralta sent me here, Yippie Ki Yayy Reader!
9/10
H H H H H
A great Action movie, regardless of it being made over 30 years ago. Bruce Willis is great, but to me, the real star is Alan Rickman who plays bad guy Hans Gruber with a charisma you won't see in the vast majority of other films.
The only thing that keeps this from a perfect score is the way that all of the Police and FBI agents are portrayed. They are all career-first, "blow-it-up" style morons.
There's not much be said about Die Hard that hasn't been said, so...
Die Hard is one of the greatest action movies ever!!!
and
John McTiernan is God!!!
One thing though...By the time McClane ruined his bare feet on the glass, he'd killed several terrorists. Did all of them have small feet? Just asking...
Might be just me but this movie was sort of boring to me. At least it has Alan Rickman in it so that's a plus.
It is a Christmas movie! PERIOD! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
Watched this again today at the airplane ride in honor of Jake Peralta. <3
The best part of this movie is when that asswipe journalist gets smacked. Too bad no one does that with the real life journalist trash...starting with CNN.
number 1 trending movie on Christmas!
Bruce Willis said in his roast this year:
"DIE HARD IS NOT A CHRISTMAS MOVIE!"
This is a classic! And of course a Xmas movie!!! What else can you say about this movie... Yippie-Ki-Yay MotherFucker!
Well, this is a cult classic, and when you watch it today on blu-ray, it's just a nostalgic action fun. But it is just toooo looong...30-35 minutes shorter, and it would be perfect! 7/10
Spectacular action movie, set at Christmas.
In a skyscraper looks Bruce Willis and his shirt.
The perfect action movie...nuff said...wait...or is the perfect Christmas movie haha welcome to the party pal!
I was with my family for the first time in a while and I wanted to get caught up on famous movies that I haven't seen before, Die Hard being one of them. I loved this movie, it's everything I want out of an action movie. It's got a likeable lead in Bruce Willis, a formidable villain in Alan Rickman, an intelligent plot that doesn't insult the audience's collective intelligences and impressive visual effects. This movie is what action movies should aspire to be. I loved how John Mcclane (for the most part) seemed like just a normal cop who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Obviously he had ridiculous moments but it was much more believable than most action movies I see. I give it 8/10 and I would give it higher if it had some more power or less cliches.
This movie, although being 27 years old, is badass!
A classic... Pure 80´s adrenaline and muscle!!
badass action movie
Blu-ray movies 1 in Paco cinema. Image 3.5/5 for the DNR, sound 4/5 action movie classic building with terrorists, hostages and John Mcclaine.Yipi kaie motherfucker
Made in '88 & totally stands the test of time.
This is a daaaamn good action movie that somehow manages to be great for christmas!
My all time favourite movie... nothing comes close.
The very definition of a perfect Hollywood action movie! It's got all the stereotypes I expect from an action film: German bad guys, over-the-top shooting/ fighting/ swearing/ running/ jumping etc, a hero with witty remarks, a cool black guy in a limo, some semi-romantic moments and the two key ingredients to any guys movie: titties and exploding helicopters!
I can't really say much about the story, the acting etc, because I don't think there is much to it. Let's just say it was decent enough not to have bothered me while everything on screen was exploding :) Yippee-ki-yay!!
Shout by NibbixVIP EP BlockedParent2023-08-06T06:35:45Z
This.... is a christmas movie.